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United States Air Force - E-4 Senior Airman

Yearly Base Pay

$31,604 - $38,369

Monthly Base Pay

$2,633.70 - $3,197.40

Hourly Base Pay *

$16.46 - $19.98

Air Force Senior Airman - Rank Details


Senior Airman (SrA)

Classification Enlisted Airman
Abbreviation SrA
NATO Code OR-4
Service United States Air Force
Address Airman (last name)
What are a Senior Airman's Responsibilities?

A senior airman in the U.S. Air Force is the fourth lowest enlisted rank and directly above airman first class. It is equivalent to the rank of specialist or corporal in the Army/Marines, and petty officer third class in the Navy/Coast Guard. A senior airman is the first enlisted rank that is rarely awarded to an entry-level airman. They have greater responsibility and are expected to be more knowledgeable than younger airmen.

Senior airmen should be technically effective at their skill or be close to proficient. More experienced senior airmen may also be supervising younger airmen. Most senior airmen are expected to begin developing leadership abilities in preparation for becoming a non-commissioned officer (NCO). Some senior airmen may also be selected to be a recruiter or a military training instructor at basic training.

Senior airmen should also be completing coursework en-route to an associate's or bachelor's degree. In addition, senior airmen should expect to attend the Airman Leadership School, a six-week professional military education course, in order to hone their leadership skills.

What is a Senior Airman's Paygrade?

A Senior Airman is considered an Enlisted Airman, with a paygrade of E-4. The civilian equivalent of this military rank is roughly GS-4 under the federal government's General Schedule payscale.

On this page you can learn more about a Senior Airman's payscale, the process of becoming a Senior Airman, and the history of the rank in the United States Air Force.

Seal of the Air Force Air Force Senior Airman Pay Calculator

Starting pay for a Senior Airman is $2,633.70 per month, with raises for experience resulting in a maximum base pay of $3,197.40 per month. You can use the simple calculator below to see basic and drill pay for a Senior Airman, or visit our Air Force pay calculator for a more detailed salary estimate.


Basic Pay:

Drill Pay:

n/a Learn more
For an E-4 Senior Airman with
years of experience.

Use the slider below to calculate the basic pay and drill pay for an E-4 Senior Airman at varying years in his or her military career.

2 or less years

Over 40 years


Equivalent Ranks to an Air Force Senior Airman

A Senior Airman is an Enlisted Airman, with a military paygrade of E-4. The civilian equivalent of this military rank is roughly GS-4 under the federal government's General Schedule payscale.

The table below lists the equivalent ranks of an Air Force Senior Airman, and their insignia, in the other four branches of the United States' Armed Services.


** This Document Provided By www.FederalPay.org - The Civil Employee's Resource **
Source: www.federalpay.org/military/air-force/senior-airman